Located at Groom Lake in the middle of the barren desert of southern Nevada, Area 51 is a U.S Air Force installation that has become notorious for a speculated connection with unidentified flying objects.

Conspiracy theories suggest that the base is used for testing alien technology recovered from crash sites, like the famous one in Roswell, New Mexico. The base was a secret for a long time and is still not accessible to the general public.

This innocuous-looking military installation has become an important part of the mythology and urban legends of the 20th century, with a large influence on media and pop culture.

The search for alien life.

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Where is Area 51 and how big is it?

The small towns of Rachel and Hiko are located in Area 51. The name Area 51 seems to come from the designation the base had on the Atomic Energy Commission, but is mostly unused by the military.

In an attempt to draw employees to the base, the area was given the name Paradise Ranch and was established in 1955 as part of the Nevada Test and Training Range complex.

The Nevada Test and Training Range complex is part of the Nevada National Security Site, which the CIA refers to as the Groom Lake and Homey Airport. Satellite imagery of the site has been restricted, but it has been visible on the map.

Area 51 is situated 120 miles (200 kilometers) northwest of Las Vegas, near the small towns of Rachel and Hiko.

Area 51 is situated 120 miles (200 kilometers) northwest of Las Vegas, near the small towns of Rachel and Hiko. (Image credit: miroslav_1 via Getty Images)
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Benjamin Radford is an American folklorist, writer, investigator and skeptic who has written more than 20 books.

The base itself is small, but the restricted area around it is large to prevent snooping and to test classified aircraft. To the U.S. government, it is simply the Nevada Test and Training Range.

What is in Area 51 and what is it used for?

The National Security Archive at George Washington University obtained a formerly classified CIA document detailing the history of the U-2 spy plane, which was used by the U.S military to acknowledge the existence of Area 51.

A visit to the base is not advisable. There are legitimate government and military reasons for keeping the base's activities secret.

On the ground, you will see stern signs and armed guards patrolling the fenced perimeters guarded by buried motion sensors, cameras, guards and so on.

The signs tell visitors that photos are not allowed and that they will be fined.

Stop signs and warning signs at entrance to Area 51.

The restricted area ar Area 51's covers over 90,000 acres (36,000 hectares)   (Image credit: Roger Holden via Getty Images)
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The base was originally used to test the U-2 spy plane, but would later be used to test other aircraft such as the Archangel-12 and the F-117 stealth fighter.

The gallery has declassified US spy satellite photos.

How did Area 51 come to be associated with UFOs?

The testing of new and secretive military aircraft is likely responsible for much of the connection between Area 51 and the aliens.

It's true that strange lights and aircraft can sometimes be spotted in the area, so it's an obvious leap to UFOs, but of course, new aircraft might look identical.

He said that Area 51 is one of many military bases, national laboratories and government scientific research centers that deal with classified information.

There is no reason to think that anything is related to the unexplained.

Area 51 Alien Center convenience store and gas station.

Tourism around Area 51 is popular with space and UFO enthusiasts. Here you can find numerous alien-themed hotels, bars and souvenir shops.   (Image credit: Susan Vineyard via Getty images)
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In 1989 a man named Robert Lazar claimed to have worked on extraterrestrial technology inside Area 51.

The US government used Area 51 to examine recovered alien spaceships and autopsy photographs of aliens were viewed by Lazar, according to a Las Vegas television reporter. Most of the government conspiracy theories involve extraterrestrial life, despite the fact that Lazar himself was discredited.

A lot of the legend has been fueled by hoaxers like Robert Lazar, who claimed to have seen alien bodies and crashed flying saucers while working there. Almost nothing of what he said was true.

The ball was rolling. The connection between alien tech and Area 51 was inescapable in the public consciousness and pop culture.

UAP: History, Sightings and Mysteries.

Area 51 in pop culture

Area 51 is located near State Route 375. The Extraterrestrial Highway is a popular route for UFO enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike.

Area 51 is located near State Route 375. The Extraterrestrial Highway is a popular route for UFO enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike. (Image credit: LPETTET via Getty Images)
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The base has become a popular location for fictional movies and TV shows, including the host of documentaries made about the Area 51 connection.

In the Will Smith movie "Independence Day", the base plays a crucial role in defeating an enemy.

The Doctor was held captive at Area 51 during the sixth season of Doctor Who and was featured on the small screen.

It is a show based on aliens, conspiracy theories and government cover-ups, and Area 51 eventually made it onto The X-Files.

Area 51 appeared in two episodes of the show and got a mention in a third. The base was mentioned in a series of video packages for the film "Spider-Man: No Way Home" at the end of 2021.

The failed raid on Area 51 was reported by the Daily Bugle. A million people were supposed to conduct the raid, but only a few showed up.

The Storm Area 51 movement

3.5 million people expressed interest in attending an event organized by 20-year-old Matty Roberts, a student from Bakersfield, California, after a prank on social media.

The name of the tongue-in-cheek Facebook event was "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us", and the supposed plan was to charge at the base in large enough numbers to overwhelm security. The aim was to find alien technology and secretive research.

In the end, an estimated 6,000 people made it to the low-key summer event and partook in some activities. Light security at Area 51 was not challenged.

It began as a joke, but some people took it seriously and decided to hang out near the entrance and have fun.

He said it was a huge fiasco, a smaller-scale festival for the alien crowd.

Additional resources

Lyon Air Museum has the history of the U-2 spy plane program. The How Stuff Works (opens in a new tab) is a story about a hoaxster. There are many Area 51 pop culture references in this video from KTNV Channel 13 Las Vegas.

Bibliography

CNN has fast facts in Area 51.

Military.com is open in a new tab.

Area 51, 37, and 115 are on the maps.

Area 51, Britannica is open in a new tab.

There are conspiracy theories surrounding Area 51.

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Doctor Who, Season 6 Episode 2, Day of the Moon, is available on the internet.

The X-Files, Season 6 Episode 4, Dreamland, is open in a new tab.

Area 51, the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki is open in a new tab.

The joke that became a possible humanitarian disaster was Storm Area 51.

Frank. Storm Area 51 had no raids or aliens over the weekend. It wasn't a bust.